The UPA Government on Wednesday introduced in the lok Sabha its much touted Food Security Bill.
The AIADMK invoked the issue of federalism to oppose the legislation’s introduction, but the Government overruled it saying all concerns would be addressed during the debate on the Bill. The proposed legislation envisages the right to subsidised food to country’s three-fourth population.
“I beg to move for leave to introduce a Bill to provide for food and nutritional security in human life-cycle approach, by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto,” Food Minister KV Thomas said before introducing the bill.
The fresh Bill was introduced after withdrawing an earlier one along with the Ordinance which was promulgated on July 5. AMDK’s M Thambidurai opposed the introduction of the fresh Bill suggesting “it is against the federal set-up” enshrined in our Constitution.
“The Union Government has unilaterally and hastily promulgated this National Food Security Ordinance, 2013. Though the Bill claims to provide food security to all, unfortunately contrary to such a claim, there are several flaws in the Bill which have created serious apprehensions and actually raised the spectre of food insecurity for a State like Tamil Nadu,” he added
Incidentally, DMK was also on the same page. Its MP TR Baalu said, “This has got a lot of issues to be settled. For that matter, the DMK will be submitting the amendments to Sections 3 (2), 9 and 10. The proposed Bill should not be detrimental to the off-take of a particular State. The States’ powers should not be ridiculed and should not be reduced to the extent of making them municipalities.”
Thomas replied, “There is nothing against the federal system. This Bill will enable the people to get food as the right. This is the first time in the world that food is given as the right. This Bill will be discussed and then, it will be passed”.
The Bill promises to give right to the country’s 80 crore people to get 5 kg of foodgrains every month at Rs 1-3 per kg.